Stindl: 'Huge credit to the team'
Emotions were riding high in both camps in the wake of Borussia Mönchengladbach’s dramatic 3-2 victory over SV Darmstadt 98 on Sunday.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 SV Darmstadt 98
Goals: 0-1 Heller (28’), 1-1 Stindl (44’), 2-1 Nordtveit (51’), 2-2 Wagner (67’), 3-2 Wendt (86')
bundesliga.com has the best of the post-match reaction from BORUSSIA-PARK…
Lars Stindl (Gladbach forward): “Huge credit to the team. We knew it’d be tough because Darmstadt really battle hard and you need to be able to compete with that right from the off. I think we did that and we also managed to exploit our qualities up front. That was the key to the victory. We had a man less but we gave it everything we had, turned the game around and believed in ourselves again after they equalised. The fact we scored again late on wasn’t undeserved in my opinion. We’re very happy about this win and can now enjoy a break after a physically and mentally challenging first half of the season.”
Oscar Wendt (Gladbach defender): “We wanted to win at all costs because we were very disappointed with our two most recent performances, especially the [DFB Cup] match against Bremen. It’s always nice to go into the winter break with a win, so I’m really happy we managed that today. The victory means a lot to us. We played with ten men for so long, went 2-1 up and then conceded the equaliser. My goal to decide the game was really good and very emotional. We were rewarded for our passionate display and now we’re just really happy. We can celebrate a little bit now.”
Andre Schubert (Gladbach coach): “It was very difficult for us but we showed right from the start that we were determined to win. We were alert at the back and can be very pleased with the way we started. Then we lost focus for a moment and were punished for it, conceding a goal and having a man sent off. I don’t think many people would’ve backed us to win it at that point. The way team did everything to win right until the end in an unbelievably intense match, and continued to believe in themselves, was remarkable. It was a fierce contest, and a great spectacle with a happier ending for us.”
Marcel Heller (Darmstadt attacker): “That was a match we shouldn’t have lost. We held our own in a fiercely fought encounter and the atmosphere was heated too. That’s the way football is; it’s part and parcel of the game. We did everything we could and played well, but conceded goals too easily. After equalising we could’ve even taken the lead. Losing like that right before the break is annoying, but even with ten men Gladbach are a really strong team.”
Aytac Sulu (Darmstadt defender and captain): “We shouldn’t have lost today. It was a heated game with lots of challenges. We put on a great spectacle and created a few chances. There’s not a lot more we could have done. We were a yard off the pace at decisive moments, and a team like Gladbach will clinically punish you for that.”
Dirk Schuster (Darmstadt coach): “It was a feisty and intense game between two teams who really wanted to win. You could tell that from the first minute through to the very last. We had an extra man and were 1-0 up, so it’s frustrating that we’re going home empty handed. We lost because we weren’t smart enough in certain situations. Gladbach fought back strongly, so deserve a lot of respect for that."
